Who am I?
Children's sermon
Object:
a paintbrush, a hammer, and a stirring spoon
I brought a brush with me this morning. To me a brush is
just a brush. It doesn't mean much to me. It probably doesn't
mean much to you either. But if you painted for a living, if
your job included picking up one of these every day, then it
would be more than just a paintbrush! Those who use paintbrushes
every day know what makes a good paintbrush and what makes a poor
one. They know what kind of brush to use for any kind of paint
job. I don't. To me, it's just a paintbrush. To a painter,
it's a way to make a living.
I could say the same thing about a hammer. To someone who uses a hammer every day -- like a carpenter -- it is more than just a hammer. A carpenter could tell us all about this hammer. He could tell us if it's a good one and what kind of jobs it can be used to accomplish. I know nothing about this hammer except that it is a hammer! But to a carpenter, it's what he uses to make a living.
We can keep going. A good cook, who cooks to make his living, would know that this is more than just a spoon. He could tell us all about spoons used in cooking and baking. In a very similar way, Jesus is more to those who believe in him than to other people. We are Christians and Jesus is Christ -- our Lord and Savior. Jesus is to us much, much more than just a person who lived a long time ago. He is everything to us!
One day Jesus asked his followers about who people said he was. Jesus was interested because some people thought he was John the Baptist. Others thought Jesus was Elijah. Still others thought he was one of the prophets. But then Jesus turned to his followers and asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him. Do you know what he said? (Let them answer.) Peter said, "You are the Messiah."
Jesus is our Messiah as well. A paintbrush is just a paintbrush to us; a hammer is just a hammer, and a spoon is just a spoon; but Jesus is our Lord and Savior. Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus is the one we worship.
Dearest Jesus: Thank you for letting us know who you are. Amen.
I could say the same thing about a hammer. To someone who uses a hammer every day -- like a carpenter -- it is more than just a hammer. A carpenter could tell us all about this hammer. He could tell us if it's a good one and what kind of jobs it can be used to accomplish. I know nothing about this hammer except that it is a hammer! But to a carpenter, it's what he uses to make a living.
We can keep going. A good cook, who cooks to make his living, would know that this is more than just a spoon. He could tell us all about spoons used in cooking and baking. In a very similar way, Jesus is more to those who believe in him than to other people. We are Christians and Jesus is Christ -- our Lord and Savior. Jesus is to us much, much more than just a person who lived a long time ago. He is everything to us!
One day Jesus asked his followers about who people said he was. Jesus was interested because some people thought he was John the Baptist. Others thought Jesus was Elijah. Still others thought he was one of the prophets. But then Jesus turned to his followers and asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him. Do you know what he said? (Let them answer.) Peter said, "You are the Messiah."
Jesus is our Messiah as well. A paintbrush is just a paintbrush to us; a hammer is just a hammer, and a spoon is just a spoon; but Jesus is our Lord and Savior. Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus is the one we worship.
Dearest Jesus: Thank you for letting us know who you are. Amen.
